Collins & Aikman Products & Co.

Graham Tompson

Surendra Khambete

Girma M Gebreselassie

Bill Griffin

Matt Starling

Fred Skidmore

Anthony J Messina

Sound attenuating laminates, and methods of making the same, are provided. Heat is applied to a surface of a non-woven, fibrous layer of material to form a stratum of melted fibers having a density greater than that of the remainder of the fibrous layer. The density of the melted fibers is effective in attenuating noise traversing the fibrous layer of material. Upholstery material, such as carpeting, is attached to the surface of the heated fibrous layer. The fibrous layer and upholstery material are then subjected to compressive molding pressure to obtain a desired shape. The compressive molding pressure may further tune the sound attenuating properties of the fibrous layer by selectively changing the densities of portions of the fibrous layer.

Multi-density sound attenuating laminates and methods of making same

Vehicle trim components are formed by applying a layer of material onto a mold surface and then selectively applying foam prior to molding operations. Selectively applying foam may include applying foam of different densities in multiple locations and/or applying foam of different thicknesses in multiple locations. The material and foam are subjected to conditions within the mold to produce a trim component having a desired shape. Once de-molded, barrier material may be added and various post-molding operations may be conducted.

Vehicle trim components with selectively applied foam and methods of making same

Recyclable vehicle interior trim panels, and methods of producing same, are provided. A vehicle interior trim panel may include a top layer of recyclable polymeric material and a backing layer bonded to the top layer in face-to-face relationship. The top layer includes a blend of various recyclable polymeric materials including an interpolymer component, a polypropylene copolymer component, a polypropylene component, a limestone component, and barium sulfate component, and has a thickness of between about 1.6 mm and about 2.0 mm. The top layer may include first and second layers of recyclable polymeric material adhered together in face-to-face relationship. The first layer includes a first interpolymer component, a second interpolymer component, a polypropylene copolymer component, a polypropylene component, a polyethylene polymer component, and a silicone component. The second layer includes an interpolymer component, a polypropylene copolymer component, a polypropylene component, and a limestone component.

Recyclable vehicle interior articles and methods of making same

A multi-layer acoustically absorptive mat includes a base layer having a peripheral portion with a plurality of apertures formed in the peripheral portion in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship. A face layer disposed adjacent the base layer. An acoustic absorbing layer is interposed between the peripheral portion of the base layer and the face layer. The acoustic absorbing layer includes a respective exposed portion that extends across each of the apertures.

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Northville, MI, United States of America

Graham Tompson